CLASS Y. PISCES: OEDEE 3. TELEOSTEA. 
449 
THE SHANNY. 
THE OCELLATED BLENNT. 
Genus BLENNIUS : Blennius. — This includes several species, some of which produce living 
young, which arc able to take care of 
themselves from their birth. They 
live along the rocky shores of the sea, 
and arc often found in rock-pools left 
by the retiring tide. 
The Shanny, B. plioUs^ is a very 
curious species, five inches long, remark- 
able for creeping out of the water with 
their pectoral fins and hiding them- 
selves in holes among the rocks, where 
they remain till the return of the tide ; 
it is said they can live out of water for 
thirty hours ; they immediately die, 
however, on being put into fresh water. 
Found on the British coast. 
The OcELLATED Blenny or BuT- 
TERFLY-Fisn, B. ocellaris, is three to 
four inches long, the color pale-brown, 
lives among weeds, and feeds on Crusta- 
cea ; common in the Mediterranean, 
Other European species are the 
Gattokuginous Blenny, B. gattoru- 
gine ; the Crested Blenny, B. palmi- 
cornis, and Montagu's Blenny, B. 
Montagui. Two or three species are 
found on our coasts. 
Genus MURENOIDES : Mm-enoi- 
des. — To this belonQ;s the Spotted Gunnel or Butter-Fish, M. guttata, so called on account 
of the mucous secretion with which its sides 
are covered; it is ten inches long, and has a 
long, sword-shaped body ; it is found in pools 
left by the tide, and occasionally under stones or 
sea-weed; common in Europe. The American 
Butter-Fish, Gunnellus mucronatus, resembles 
THE SPOTTED GUNNEL. ^'^G prCCedlng. 
MONTAGU S BLENNV. 
THE LOPHIID^, 
Most of these fishes have a large head and a short, stout body, terminated by a slender tail. 
They are covered with a naked 
skin, usually roughened with warts 
and tubercles, and can sustain a 
considerable absence from water.. 
Genus LOPHIUS : Lo])hius. — 
To this belongs the Fishing- 
Frog, L. •piscatorius, three to five 
feet long. It has an enormous 
mouth, armed with numerous 
pointed teeth. It is exceedingly 
voracious, and has been known to 
seize a cod just as it was being 
drawn out of water by a hook, and 
ly let go its hold on receiving a severe blow upon the head. It also has a method of catch- 
VoL. II.— 5*7 
THE FISHING-PROG. 
